Writing Tips For First-Time Authors
Congratulations on your decision to write a book! Regardless of the niche/subject, it’s a great way to build credibility while promoting your respective brand or business. But it takes more than just a couple pages of rehashed content to produce a successful and engaging book. If you’re serious about writing a book, you should follow the tips outlined below.
Topic Selection
The topic can make or break a book. Unfortunately, many first-time authors rush through the topic selection process simply because they are eager to start writing. In doing so, however, they end up choosing a topic that’s either not appealing to their target audience or has too much competition (or both). Before you begin writing, spend a little extra time brainstorming topic ideas for your book. A good rule of thumb is to choose a topic that’s popular with a low amount of competition. This simple formula will greatly improve your chances of publishing a successful book.
Physical or Digital Format?
The advent of eBook readers has revolutionized the book industry. It’s now easier and more convenient — and often cheaper — for people to read books on their Kindle or iPad as opposed to a traditional paper or hardback. Focusing strictly on traditional forms of publishing (e.g., paper and hardback) leaves tons of potential sales on the table. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with publishing your book in paper or hardback, but you will almost certainly achieve more sales if you offer customers a digital format as well.
Cover Design
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good cover design for your book. Even if you intend to publish your book in strictly digital format, an attractive or unique cover will encourage readers to pick it up (or add it to their online shopping cart) and buy it.
Content Accuracy
Your book is a reflection of your brand image, which is why it’s important to double-check the contents to ensure it’s accurate and factual. Publishing false information will send the wrong message to your target audience, discouraging them from purchasing your product (assuming you sell a product) and engaging with your brand. Go through your book several times before publishing it to double-check the accuracy of the content. If you aren’t sure if something is true, it’s usually best to err on the side of caution and omit it altogether. Ask others to proofread it. You can also hire a freelance editor to review your book.
Have any other writing tips that you would like to share with our readers? Let us know in the comments section below!
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